The present invention relates to a contacting apparatus, which will be referred to below as a contact block. The contact block serves in particular for contacting contacting zones of a so-called smart card. The invention relates in particular to a so-called SIM block (trademark), i. e. a contacting apparatus which is suitable for providing an electrical contact connection to contact zones present on a SIM card.
The invention also relates to a contact element, in particular a contact spring for use in a contact block.
Contact blocks for contacting the contact zones of a smart card (also called a chip card) and also for contacting the contact zones of a SIM card are known in many different designs. With the ongoing desire to miniaturize the apparatuses in which the smart cards are used, for instance the mobile telephones, a small size for the contact blocks becomes more and more important. Indeed, all components of said apparatus need to become smaller.
The present invention intends, in particular, to provide a SIM block which has a very small height, for instance in the range of 0.8 mm.
According to the present invention a small height for the SIM block is obtained by providing contact elements for the SIM block, such that as the contact force exerted by the contact zones of a SIM card onto the contact elements is transmitted by support means formed by or provided at the contact elements to another component, in particular, a circuit board which is adapted to support said SIM block.
The invention further provides for adjustment means, which are preferably provided together with the support means to thus provide for the possibility of adjusting the force, by means of which the contact elements press against the contact zones of the SIM card.
Preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the claims.